Head of Artificial Intelligence

About the role

A pan-African financial services group, with hubs in Nigeria and the UK and interests in banking, asset management, consumer finance and technology, is building its AI capability to support scaling, innovation and geographic expansion. Its client is looking for a Head of AI to lead the AI agenda across customer engagement, risk management, fraud detection, lending, compliance and operational efficiency. The role suits a visionary leader with hands-on AI, data science and machine learning experience who can build and scale an AI capability in a regulated environment.

Key responsibilities

• Define and own the AI strategy and roadmap aligned with digital transformation goals, and champion ethical and responsible use of AI in financial services
• Identify and prioritize high-impact AI use cases across retail, commercial, risk and back-office functions
• Lead the design, development and deployment of AI solutions such as credit scoring, customer personalization, chatbots, fraud detection, AML monitoring and document automation
• Integrate AI into core banking platforms, mobile apps and customer channels with partners, ensuring scalability, robustness and regulatory compliance
• Build and lead a multidisciplinary AI team (data scientists, ML engineers, AI researchers, data engineers) and establish AI governance frameworks for model development, validation and monitoring
• Upskill internal teams and explore emerging technologies such as generative AI, NLP, computer vision and federated learning
• Build partnerships with AI research institutions, fintechs and technology providers, and represent the organization at AI and fintech forums
• Ensure compliance with local and global regulations (data privacy, AML, CBN guidelines, GDPR where relevant) and develop AI risk management practices for model bias, explainability and auditability

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business or a related field
• 12+ years of professional experience, with at least 5+ years in AI/ML leadership roles
• Proven track record of delivering AI solutions in banking, fintech or large-scale regulated environments
• Strong knowledge of financial services processes, risk models and regulatory frameworks
• Based in Nigeria, able to work hybrid from Lagos Island; fluent English
• Nice to have: advanced degree, strong understanding of African and global financial ecosystems, experience with AI governance and model risk frameworks, exposure to computer vision and federated learning, experience in complex, high-growth environments

Required skills

• Machine learning, deep learning, NLP, generative AI and cloud-based AI platforms
• Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch or similar ML frameworks
• Building and leading multidisciplinary teams

Working conditions: hybrid, 3-5 days a week on site (flexible), Lagos Island (Marina); time zone UTC+0 with 8 hours of overlap; 12-month contract, renewable, full-time 40 hours per week, bring your own device.